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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: land · squash · craft · pit · mate · pop · ground · bulb

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mate — a friend
  4. squash — to crush
  5. land — ground
  6. land — a country
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pop — soda
  16. land — to come down
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pop — music
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com